KARACHI: The opening pair of Ahmed Shehzad and Sharjeel Khan as well as senior players Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal will have to put enough runs on the board for Pakistan’s strong bowling attack to defend them and win key matches at the ICC WorldT20.

This was stated by former Test cricketer and chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed Sallu while speaking to Dawn here on Tuesday.

“Some of our key players in top and middle-order have struggled in recent matches and that needs to end if we are to make a solid impact at the World T20,” he said.

“Our bowlers including Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz and others have been bowling quite well in the T20 games, but they have seldom got enough runs to defend.”

Sallu, however, added that the Pakistan team in World T20 is the best available lot in the country and after a poor run, they could just be coming into their own at the right time.

“I somehow feel that our boys are now past their worst phase and are ready to fire,” he said.

“You see, in New Zealand and in the Asia Cup, so many odds were stacked up against the team which included injuries, tough conditions, off field pressure etc.

“But I believe the team should emerge as a battle-hardened outfit after all that, and should do well as they did in the warm-up against Sri Lanka yesterday,” argued Sallu.

He commended Mohammad Hafeez’s fluent knock of 70 in the warm-up game as well as Imad Wasim’s fine spell of four wickets.

“These are the positive from which we should take heart and hope for the best,” Sallu observed.

“As for skipper Shahid Afridi, yes he is under a cloud and not able to find his feet with both bat and ball. But he has an excellent record on Indian pitches and hopefully will be leading from the front in World T20.”

Sallu asserted, however, that a lot hinges on how Pakistan fields in the upcoming games.

“Fielding is such a key in T20 matches, and it is a must that our players hold on to the catches coming their way.

“Bangladesh’s recent resurgence is mainly due to their batting and impressive fielding and there’s no reason why Pakistan cannot lift theirs with so many qualified coaches to guide them.”

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2016